Internal-combustion engine



1,633,909 June 28, 2 E SHORE INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed Feb. 9, 19 24 3 Sheets-Sheet l [n Mentor. imam 144% y 1,633,909 June 1927' w. E; SHORE INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE I Fild Feb. 9. 1 924 3 Sheets-Shed 2 June 28, 1927. 1.633.909

w. E. SHORE INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed Feb. 9, 1924 5 sheets shee't 3 III iiatented June 23,

Uhll lifi STATES PATENT. @FFlfiE.

INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGIKE.

Application filed February 9, 1924. fierialflo. 691,610.

In the operation of internal combustion engines it is highly desirable to utilize the heavier oils and in a manner different from that accomplished in the type operated by the high temperature of compression, such as the Diesel type. I

The'principal object of this invention is to devise means for preparing heavy oils forcombustion with a limited compression and so that the engine may be controlled in a similar manner to the present known controls where light fuels are used, thereby etfvctinga very material reduction in the cost ofoperation of such engines.

A further and important object is to accomplish the unification of internal combustion engines for various uses.

The principal feature of the invention'consists in the novel use of a vapor expanding mechanism to expand the heavy oil in the )resenc e.ofan expansible medium in conunction with means for utilizing the exhaust heat from the engine cylinders to further expand and gasify the mixture to produce a combustible vapor which may be further aerated and may be throttle controlled.

The accompanying drawings illustrate diagrammatically the application of the present invention, Figure 1 being a sectional diagram showing an engine cylinder and the course of the exhaust gases therefrom together with the expanding mediums.

Figure 2 is a sectional diagram similar to Figure l but illustrating the oil feed connections to the vaporizer and the connections to the intake of the engine.

Figure 3 is a sectional detail of the vaporizer illustrating the manner of lay-passing or internally circulating the oil carrying expansihle medium.

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional detail of the oil' inixing valve.

Figure 5 is an elevational part sectional view of the adjusting members ofthe mixing valve.

Referring to the accompanying diagrmns, 1 represents a type of rotary vaporizer in which the rotor 2 eccentrically arranged in the cylindrical casing expands the medium entering the inlet chamber 3 and discharges through the outlet 4. This vaporizer is provided with a hollow jacket 5 through which a heatin medium is circulated from the inlet 6 at t 1e top to the outlet 7 at the bottom.

A hollow casing 8 abuts the face of the vaporizer 1 having a convergin channel 9 leading from the outlet 4 of t e vaporizer and directing the vaporized fuel into a vertically disposed chamber 10.

The hollow jacket 11 of the casing 8 surrounds the converging channel and the central portion of the chamber 10, openings to the jacket being arranged either side of the chamber 10 and communicatin with a coneshapcd cap 12 to which the ex aust pipe 13 of the engine is connected.

The exhaust gases entering the cap 12 strike directly against the outer face of the chamber 10, thus imparting the heat of the exhaust gases directly to the wall of said chamber and said gases passing around said chamber completely surround the converging channel 9 and flow through the inlet 6 of the jacket 5 of the rotary vaporizer.

The vaporizer fuel being discharged from the rotary vaporizer through the channel 9 impinges directly upon the hottest ortion of the chamber 10 and it. is thus furt icr expanded. I

A tube 14 leads from the upper end of the chamberlO and is connected to a spiral coil 15 which is arranged within a cylinder 16 and the lower end of the coil 15 is connected with a smaller coil 17 arranged axially of the coil to and encircling a heater pipe 18.

A cylindrical casiu 19 extends dowuwardly from the top 0 the cylinder 16 and divides the interior of the cylinder 16 into two compartments, connecting only at the lower end.

The heater pipe l8 connects with a pipe 20 leading to the'outlet 7 from the jacket of the rotary vaporizer and also is connected to a. pipe 21 which connects directly with the exhaust. pipe 13 of the engine.

The upper end of the pipe 18 opensinto the inner casing 19 at the top and the exhaust gases travel downwardly in the interior of the casing 19 around the heater coil 17 and flow outwardly at the bottom. These ing 19 and the cylinder 16, imparting their excess heat to the coil 15 and finally exhaust through the pipe 22. 4

' The vaporized oil and gases taken from gases flow upwardly between the inner casthe chamber 10 by the tube 14 are subjected to very intense heat and are carried from the top of the coil 17 through a pipe 23 leading to the intake manifold 24 of the engine.

A throttle 25 is arranged in the pipe 23 and an adjustable air valve 26 is providedto allow of the inlet of a suitable quantity of air to mix with the highly vaporized and heated fuel.

A by-pass pipe 27 is connected with the pipe 23 and leads to the inlet pipe 28 leadingto the inlet chamber 3 of the rotary vaporizer.

A suitable control valve 29 is arranged in the pipe 27 so as to shut olf the by-passing of a portion of the vaporized fuel back to the vaporizer if desired.

The oil feed pipe 30 leading from a suitable source of oil supply is connected to the pipe 28 and a suitable mixing valve 31 (see igures 2, 4 and'5) is arranged in this pipe to enable the oil fuel to lie-regulated,

- A branch pipe 32 may be connected to the exhaust pipe of the engine to allow the use of a certain amount of the hot gases of exhaust to mix with the air and oil being directed to the vaporizer.

A further branch 33 may be provided as shown in Figure 2 for supplying various gases, such as hydrogen gas, natural gas or calcium carbide gas to the mixer.

A drain pipe 34 is connected with the bottom of the oil well in the rotary vaporizer 1 and to the bottom of the chamber 10.

An condensate gathering in the bottom of the c amber 10 is taken therefrom through the trap 35 and delivered to the oil supply to be again circulated,

The oil supply pipe 30 is shown in Figure 2 as leading from a casing 36, the feed pipe to which has inserted therein an im mersion heater 37. The heater is inserted into the inlet tube in order to create ahigh velocity of flow and prevent coking. upon the surface of the heater.

A suitable gasoline carbureter 38 is re vided connected with the intake. manifold 24 for the starting of the engine. I The rotary vaporizer is operated from the engine in any suitable manner and the suction of the vacuum side drawsthe supply ofoil and the expansible material, such as air or gas, thereto. The supply of air or gas is regulated b the valve 31, which is shown in detail in igures 4 and 5 as having an inlet passage 39 connected with the oil supply, said passage leading to a chamber 40 connected with the inlet pipe 28.

The flow of oil is regulated by rotating the flanged disc 41', the flange 42 ofwhich is perforated with a plurality of graduated holes 43. A

A disc 44 is rotatably mounted upon the valve and is provided with a plurality of graduated openings 45 which lead to the chamber 40.

l The branch pipe 27 also connects to the chamber 40 leading to the inlet 28.

By this arrangement a very considerable range in the adjustment of mixtures can be made.

In the structure illustrated in Figure 2 the chamber 10 is formed with an opening 46 opposite to the outlet 4 from the vaporizer and in this opening is placed. a sheet metal casing 47 which is provided with an offset portion 48'at the top end extending inwardly into the chamber. This casing is. partially filled with mercury which absorbs and retains a very hightemperature and presents a surface against which the atom ized fuel. impinges as it is' discharged through .the outlet 4.

The enlarged upper portion 48. ofthe casing 47 forms an expansion chamber which is brought into contact with the flowing gases and imparts heat thereto after the first contact.

The heat of the exhaust may be so intense as to vaporize the mercurybut such vaporization does not occur until a very high temperature is reached, approximately 650 F. and in order to ensure the maximum quantity of heat produced by the engine exhaust being imparted to the vapor in passage, a tubular coil 49 extends upwardly from the expansion chamber 48 of the casing 47 in the upper end of the chamber 10. This coil forms a condenser 'for the mercury vapor which may rise from the body of mercury in the casing 47. 1 v

In the operation of this invention the engine is first started by the use of .a lighter fuel, such as gasoline which is fed throu h the carbureter 38 to theengine' intake. T 1e exha ust from the engine passes into the jacket 11 and around the jacket 5 of the vaporizer and continues on through the coil heater from which it is exhausted.-

, The rotor ofthe vaporizer is operated in a suitable manner from the engine and the suction of the intakedraws the fuel oil from the oil supply through the mixing valve 31 and also draws in the desired quan- 'tity-of expansible gas .or air which acts as a carrier for the fuel.

The supply of oil and air and gases can be regulated as desired by means of the adjustments of the mixing valve and the control valves arranged on the various feed pipes and the mixture entering the intake chamber 3 of the rotary vaporizer is ex panded and the oil is broken up into fineparticles in the expansion of the medium auditisdischarged through the outlet 4 in the form of a fine vapor. The heat of the exhaust gases surrounding the vaporized material assists in this expansion and vaporization and the vaporized oil and gases tact with the intense heat of the chamber 10 against which the exhaust gases impinge and which as described may constitute a mercury chamber. A greater heat and consequent expansion is thus imparted to the vaporized fuel which is carried then through the coils 15 and 17 in the presence of the heat from the exhaust gases flowing through the heater and the continued association of the oil in the finely vaporized state with the carrying gases effects a chemical change in the hydrocarbons to such an extent that the gas taken from the final heater coil may be mixed with a further quantity of air as it is introduced into the engine.

l/Vhen the vaporization of the oil fuel is thus efiected the gasoline feed is cut off and the fuel oil gas is directed into the engine cylinders. The produced gas is of such a nature that it ignites readily with the ordinary spark and the engine may operate indetinitely with the fuel thus provided.

It will be readily understood that a further great latitude exists in the quality of thefuel by reason of the provision for the introduction of various gases, even including somect the' inert gases of combustion of the" engine in order to -i 1npart sufiicient heat under certain conditions.

In the commencement (j f-ftheoperation of the engine it is usually found desirable to run theengine for a short period on the gasoline fuel and when this is being done the vaporized fuel is circulated in a closed cycle by being by-passed through the assage 50. This is particularly illustrat in Figure 3 showing the valve 51 in the bypass 50 open.

The continuation of the operation of this closed cycle for a short time raises the temperature of the produced gas to a very fine state of volatility and it may then be turned.

into the engine in place of the gasoline, it being vaporized to a state in which it will float and mix with atmosphere without velocity to hold the fuel in suspension.

This system of carbureting heavy oils makes it possible to operate engines at high speed and with variable control while using heavy oil fuel.

This invention enables oil to be burnt in engine cylini'lersimder the same conditions as gasoline. Complete combustion takes place because the exhaust is colorless and without odor and there isno sediment or residue in the operation as described.

The system of carburetion herein described cons sts in applying external mechanical energy which is given up and absorbed as internal heat energy as mechanical energy is first used to expand the elements under vacuum and high velocity mixing the fuel with a suitable gas such as hydrogen, natural gas, coal gas or even inert gas from the exhaust of the engine or atmosphere. These gaseous mediums are mixed with the oil under an isothermal ex pansion and discharged under an adiabatic condition, giving up the heat energy to the fuel as a complete cycle.

The fluid vapor is discharged under a substantially adiabatic condition against a super-heating means and increases in volume and consequently in velocity as it passes in contact with the superheating elements. The temperature is increased as it progresses until there is a chemical reaction or absorption takes place between the finely divided hydrocarbons and the hydrogen or other carrying gases and when brought to this state the vapor can be mixed with atmosphere in the cylinder of the engine to give the desired result.

It will therefore be understood that an oil may be used containing the maximum quantity of B. t. u. per unitas the mechanical breaking up and subsequent chemical reaction places the articles in suspension so as to ensure its maintenance in a gaseous state.

The exhaust temperatures from an engine may run to a very high point which when transmitted to the conduitconducting the vaporized oils might have the effect of coking the vapors and Ihave shown in Figure 2 a. means for. governing the temperature condition of the conduit leadin from the vaporizer. This'means is shown 1n theform of a casing containing a fluid heat distributor which is preferably mercury as it does not vaporize until it reachesa very high tent perature, consequently the casing arranged in the path of the nebulized oil will not convey extremely high temperatures of the engine exhaust and coking will be avoided. I

What I claim as my lnvention is 1. The combination with an internal combustion engine, of a vapor expanding mechanism having a chamber extending therearound immediately contactin with the inner wall thereof and connecte with the exhaust from the engine, means for feeding a hydrocarbon in the presence of a restricted quantity of an expansible suspension medium to said vapor expanding mechanism, a. discharge conduit leading. from said vapor expanding mechanism and extending through said surrounding chamber, a chamber havin an opening in one wall connected with sai discharge conduit and having the wall opposite interposed in the path of the engine exhaust and adapted to intercept the exhaust as it passes from the engine to said surrounding chamber, means for super-heating the vapor as it passes out from said discharge receiving chamber and a conduit lead- -mg from said superheatmg means to the inta'ke manlfold of the en ine. 1

2. The combination wit an internal combustlon engine, of a mechanical vaporizer,

a conduit leading from the discharge of the vaporizer and surrounded by a heating jacket connected with the engine exhaust, a fluid chamber arranged in the path of the discharge from the vaporizer and in the path of the discharge from the engine exhaust adapted to receive the heat from the exhaust and to impart said heat to the vapor discharged from the vaporizer, a condenser connected with said fluid chamber arranged in the path of the flow of the vapor, a superheater heated by the engine exhaust and connected with the discharge from the vaporizer, a conduit leading from the superheater to the engine intake, means for controlling the flow of air to the engine intake, means 'for returning a portion of the vapor to the vaporizer, and means for feeding oil to the vaporizer.

3. The combination with an internal combustion engine. of a rotary vaporizer having a jacket heated by the engineexhaust. a pipe leading to the intake of the vaporizer, a valve connected with said pipe. an oil supply connected with said valve, means for regulating the oil supply arranged in said valve, means mamas mixture of air with the vaporized super eat-.

ed fuel fiowin to the engine.

4. The combination with an internal combustion engine, of means vfor mechanically vaporizing an oil fuel and a restricted quantity of supporting expansible gas insuflicient to support combustion, means for regulating the flow of oil and expansible gas tosaid atomizer, means for expanding said incomplete mixture, means for superheating said mixture While still in its incomplete expanded state. means for conducting said expanded superheated vapor to the engine, and means for mixing atmosphere with said superheated incomplete mixture to complete the same while in its expanded'form.

WILLIAM E. SHORE. 

